Statutory law, also known as statute law, is written law passed by a legislative body. It is one of the three main sources of law, along with common law and constitutional law. Statutory law is created through a process called legislation, which involves the introduction of a bill into a legislative body, its passage by both houses of the legislature, and its signing into law by the executive branch.
Statutory law can be found at all levels of government https://galadaritradings.com/ from the federal level to the state and local levels. Federal statutes are passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. State statutes are passed by state legislatures and signed into law by the state governor. Local statutes are passed by city councils and county commissions.
Statutory law covers a wide range of topics, including criminal law, civil law, administrative law, and regulatory law. Criminal statutes define crimes and set out the punishments for those crimes. Civil statutes govern private disputes between individuals and businesses. Administrative statutes create and regulate government agencies. Regulatory statutes regulate businesses and other activities in order to protect the public health and safety.
Statutory law is the most important source of law in many areas of life. For example, most people’s encounters with the law are with statutory law. When someone is arrested for a crime, they are charged with violating a statute. When someone files a lawsuit, they are alleging that the defendant violated a statute. And when someone applies for a government benefit, they are doing so under the authority of a statute.
Statutory law is constantly evolving. Legislatures are constantly passing new statutes and amending existing ones. This is necessary to keep up with the changing needs of society. For example, in recent years, legislatures have passed statutes to address new technologies, such as social media and online gambling.
How to Find Statutory Law
Statutory law is typically published in a code of laws. A code of laws is a collection of statutes organized by subject matter. The federal code of laws is the United States Code (U.S.C.). Each state has its own state code of laws. Local statutes are typically published in a municipal code or county code.
In addition to the code of laws, there are a number of other resources that can be used to find statutory law. These resources include:
- Legislative websites: The websites of legislative bodies often have databases of statutes that can be searched by keyword or topic.
- Legal research databases: Legal research databases, such as LexisNexis and Westlaw, provide access to a wide range of legal materials, including statutes.
- Secondary sources: Secondary sources, such as legal encyclopedias and law review articles, can also be used to find statutory law.
How to Interpret Statutory Law
Once you have found a relevant statute, you need to interpret it in order to understand its meaning. There are a number of rules of statutory construction that can help you to interpret statutes. These rules include:
- The plain meaning rule: The plain meaning rule says that the courts should interpret statutes according to their plain meaning, unless the plain meaning leads to an absurd result.
- The legislative history rule: The legislative history rule says that the courts can look to the legislative history of a statute, such as committee reports and floor debates, to help them understand the meaning of the statute.
- The rule of lenity: The rule of lenity says that criminal statutes should be interpreted strictly in favor of the defendant.
Conclusion
Statutory law is an important source of law in many areas of life. It is important to understand how to find and interpret statutory law. If you have any questions about a particular statute, you should consult with an attorney